September 15, 2009
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
Can religion make you fat?
That’s the question Ken Ferraro has studied for over 25 years. As a professor of sociology at Purdue University, he has interviewed thousands of people to determine what influence, if any, one’s religious devotion has on their physical well-being. His conclusions are pretty clear: religious institutions have a significant impact on a person’s physical health, for better and for worse.
He has determined that obesity rates for women increase with greater use of religious media, such as religious television, radio, or reading material. He notes that many religious activities are rooted in food, and church fellowship meals are often heavy in calories. (Admit it: when given the choice between bringing a vegetable tray and your Aunt Mabel’s recipe for Triple-Chocolate Decadent Delight, you’ll bring the dessert for bragging rights every time.)
But there’s good news, too. As much as religion can be a breeding ground for obesity, it can also be a catalyst for healthy living. People with an active prayer life are more able to handle their emotions without turning to food and other substances for comfort. The same is true of people who read the Bible and attend religious services.
Yet, Ferraro concludes, churches can do much more in encouraging healthy choices among its congregants. Along with branding tobacco and alcohol as vices, they can do the same for overeating and gluttony, which Ferraro calls the “accepted vice.”
Ferraro concludes, “With more awareness and education, churches can be a positive force in fighting obesity.”[1]
As you know, this is a timely issue, as health care reform has been a critical - and divisive - topic of national conversation. Politicians and pundits have weighed in (no pun intended) with intensity and passion, with both civility and insult. Our airwaves have embedded new terms into our collective conscience: public option, single payer, and tort reform, just to name a few.
But here’s a term we haven’t heard enough of: preventative health.
If health care reform is first and foremost a moral issue before it is a political one (which is what I believe), then why not start with the most basic moral agent in our society: individual people, and individual bodies? What would happen if more people decided to take better care of their bodies, watching what they eat, exercising more, and visiting their doctor more regularly?
One estimate suggests that losing just 10% of your body weight could reduce as much as $5,300 of medical costs in your lifetime. [2] Complications related to obesity account for $147 billion a year in medical costs, as well as 9 percent of this nation’s total health care tab. [3]
Now regardless of your political stripes, and wherever you might stake your claims in the health care debate, I would hope that everyone could agree on this: there is no quicker and more effective way of lowering health care costs than having more people take care of their bodies.
That, in its essence, is not a political statement. It’s a theological one. We remember that one of the first controversies the early church had to negotiate dealt with the philosophical notion of Gnosticism. The Gnostics believed that human life was solely constituted as spirit, not flesh, and that the body was nothing more than its earthly encasement. They believed that in the long run, it mattered little what happened to one’s body, since a person’s essence was captured in the immaterial.
The early church labeled that a heresy, and rightfully so. The Bible makes it very clear that our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and that God formed our “innermost being.” And besides, when God created the first human, out of earthly (not heavenly) stuff like clay and dust, God said, “That’s good.”
Make no mistake. Your body, as accident prone and disease inclined as it may be, is God-inspired, and God-created.
And it’s good.
This recognition should encourage us to take care of our bodies and see those efforts as a spiritual task with clear societal and financial benefits. And, I believe that churches like St. Paul’s can be a catalyst for that kind of renewal.
For the next seven weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at biblical principles for the stewardship of your body with a series titled, “To Your Health: God’s Prescription for a Healthy Life.” This Sunday we’ll study the biblical and theological bases for physical health, and during ensuing weeks we’ll examine some of more common questions I’ve heard over the years:
· What do we really believe about healing and miracles?
· What do we mean when we say, “we believe in the resurrection of the body?”
· Did John Wesley have anything to say about health?
· What are practical ways for us to take care of our bodies?
It’s that last question that will inspire an exciting congregational project for us throughout this series. This Sunday, we will be giving out free pedometers for people to use over the next several weeks. From this Sunday to November 1, we are challenging the congregation to walk a total of 25 million steps, in the spirit of good health and shared commitment. You’ll come to find that taking care of your body can be fun and easy – especially when it’s done with others!
To Your Health!
Magrey
September 20
“You’ve Got Some Body! (to Love)
Why Should Christians Care About Health?
September 27
“Create Change for Children Today: Bring Hope for a Better Tomorrow”
Why Should Christians Care about Health Care for Children?
(Children’s Sabbath)
October 4
“Hungry World, Hungry Souls”
Why Should Christians Care about Global Hunger?
(World Communion Sunday)
October 11
“Let’s Get Physical”
How Do We Get Healthy?
(A Forum with Health Care Professionals)
October 18
“Paging Dr. Wesley”
What Did John Wesley Say about Health?
October 25
“When All Else Fails….”
What Do We Really Believe about Healing and Miracles?
November 1
“Resurrection…of the Body?”
What Do We Really Believe about Life after Death?
(All Saints’ Sunday)
MOVING AND PACKING
The Helping Hands team will be coordinating big moving days for two of our church members. Individuals are needed to help pack up Keith Willis’ belongings at 1:00pm on Friday, and to help transport his things on 8:00 Saturday morning. Hattie Mackowski and her family are packing and moving on Saturday as well, and need at least four strong individuals to help with their move. To offer your help, contact Sheree Hausmann or Marlene Kelly.
RAISE FUNDS AGAINST PANCREATIC CANCER
Keith’s sons Josh and Jeremy are participating in a fundraiser to help raise awareness against pancreatic cancer. Individuals are encouraged to give in honor of Keith, and you can visit http://pancan.kintera.org/psiowawestdesmoines/jeremywillis for more information or to make a contribution.
CHILDREN’S SABBATH SEPTEMBER 27
Join us on the 27th as our children lead us in worship and inspire us with ways to address global poverty among the world’s children. The Children’s Sabbath theme is “Create Change for Children Today: Bring Hope for a Better Tomorrow.” Also, you are invited to bring with you to church a box of breakfast cereal as a donation to Mid-Sioux Opportunities, Inc.
ANNUAL PORK FEED
Mark your calendars! Once again it’s time to enjoy some delicious pork tenderloins from the Parker family, as well as some delicious corn and other sides. The event takes place on September 27, from 11:30-12:30pm, and you are invited to bring your favorite side dish or salad to share (desserts will be provided.) Proceeds from the free-will offering will support the Next Generation Fund.
1“Religion Linked to Obesity?” John Neuart. Psychcentral. http://psychcentral.com/news/2006/08/25/religion-linked-to-obesity/216.html
2“The Financial Impact of Improved Health Behaviors,” Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. http://njaes.rutgers.edu/healthfinance/health-behaviors.asp
3“Study: Health Care Costs Grow with Waists,” July 28, 2009. The News & Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1624027.html
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